Every Book in the Red Rising Trilogy, Ranked

When it comes to 21st-century science fiction, few books are more popular or beloved than Pierce Brown‘s Red Rising. The 2014 novel, which blends sci-fi with the dystopian YA tone that dominated the first half of the 2010s, became a bestseller and spawned two sequels, creating one of the new millennium’s best and most celebrated trilogies. Three further books have come out since, with a fourth and final one in the works, but that is usually considered a separate tetralogy.

Each of the three Red Rising books is a triumph in its own right, full of solid worldbuilding, riveting political conflicts, and excellent character development, particularly concerning protagonist Darrow. However, there is a clear winner when all is said and done, and we are here to determine which of the three comes out on top. So get ready to take a trip to Mars because we are ranking every book in the original Red Rising trilogy.

3

‘Red Rising’ (2014)

Image via Del Rey Books

Red Rising is set in a world where society is divided into colors, with the powerful Golds at the top and the enslaved Reds at the bottom. The story follows Darrow, a Red helldiver from Mars whose wife is killed by the despotic governor. When he defies rules to give his wife a proper burial, Darrow is also presumed dead, only to be saved by his uncle. Darrow is then recruited by the Sons of Ares, a rebel group that transforms him into a Gold, hoping to use him to bring down the structure from the inside.

Red Rising begins the saga with one of the most badass opening lines in sci-fi literature: “I would’ve lived in peace, but my enemies brought me war.” It’s a bold statement that lets you know the story you’re about to read will be ruthless, frustratingly unfair, and full of suffering, and it delivers on that promise. That said, the book also has a very distinct YA tone that prevents it from being as epic as it could have been: there’s a school, a competition, a faction system, a group of rebels looking to overthrow the system — all these conventions are good for worldbuilding, but they also make the story seem a tad more conventional. Still, Red Rising is a terrific first novel with a compelling protagonist, fascinating lore, and an emotional story of rebellion that feels as urgent now as it did back then.

2

‘Morning Star’ (2016)

Image via Companion Press

The last chapter in the original trilogy brings Darrow’s tale of rebellion to its climax. Morning Star picks up months after the end of Golden Son, with Darrow tortured and imprisoned by The Jackal. After being released by his friend, Sevro, who has assumed the identity of Ares and continued the rebellion in Darrow’s absence, the Reaper of Mars continues his fight despite being mentally and physically broken. However, his enemies are many and lurk in every shadow.

Like so many other final chapters, Morning Star had the very hard task of bringing the narrative to a satisfying close while delivering the epic, sprawling action expected from such a story. It succeeds for the most part, painting a brutal but engaging depiction of a universe at war, with alliances forming and breaking left and right. The pacing is relentless and the action is explosive, with the book going from one major event to the next, often with such speed that it’s a tad jarring; however, with stakes this high, the abrupt shifts make more sense. The fate of most characters also feels earned, especially Darrow’s and those closest to him. However, the book’s insistence on treating certain characters with so much esteem, particularly Roque, is baffling and one of the few weak parts.

1

‘Golden Son’ (2015)

Image via Random House Worlds

Golden Son is the middle chapter of the trilogy, and its undeniable peak. Set years after the end of Red Rising, the narrative sees Darrow fall out of favor with the governor of Mars. However, an opportunity arises when Darrow takes advantage of his growing animosity toward the Bellona family to launch a full-scale civil war on Mars. With the Society broken and Mars in chaos, Darrow and his allies launch an open attack against the Sovereign. Meanwhile, the Sons of Ares slowly reveal more of their plan, forcing Darrow to finally reconcile his Red and Gold identities.

Thrilling, ruthless, and featuring so many twists that it’s at points descombobulating, Golden Son is a masterclass in narrative escalation, character development, and strategic worldbuilding. As the middle chapter in the saga, the book officially takes Darrow’s story from the YA space into a more mature, introspective side of sci-fi. Here, Brown deals with issues of identity, as Darrow struggles to reconcile his Red background with his Gold legacy, leading to some very insightful passages. Then, of course, there’s the expansive and brutal civil war that engulfs Mars: friends die, people betray each other, and the book ends with one of the most devastating betrayals in 21st-century literature. Golden Son is everything a great epic sci-fi should be, a true evolution of Red Rising‘s story, and a sci-fi gem that remains compelling and impactful over a decade after its debut,